“It’s definitely a boy!” These are the words the ultrasound technician confidently said as my husband and I looked at each other, eyes wide. I was 19 weeks pregnant with our first child and had been counting down the days until our anatomy scan. Of course, I wanted what all parents want – a healthy baby. … Continue reading Mother’s Day 2023; The Gift of Unmet Expectations
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Easter 2023 – The cost of the crowd
I’ve read the Easter story so many times that it’s easy to glaze over it at this point, even though it’s one of the most incredible stories in the whole Bible. So each year, I try to pick out something different, something I haven’t noticed before. This year, the person who stood out the most … Continue reading Easter 2023 – The cost of the crowd
Waiting for spring
In typical North Carolina fashion, we had a warm February that caused many of the trees and flowers in my yard and neighborhood to bloom early. While it was beautiful for a time, we hit a cold spell last week and woke up to sleet and snow on Sunday morning. As we walked through our … Continue reading Waiting for spring
Brave in the small things
My word for the year is brave. I once had someone say to me that I was a brave person when it came to the big things – as in, I would pack up my life and move to South America for a year when I was 22 (which I did). But, I was overly … Continue reading Brave in the small things
When Christmas isn’t what you pictured
Our Christmas looks different than planned. Thanks to a string of seemingly never-ending illnesses and now unusually cold temperatures, our holiday plans are looking a little quieter than we thought they would. At first, I felt frustrated by this. It’s my favorite time of year, and I love gathering with friends and family, going out … Continue reading When Christmas isn’t what you pictured
When the waiting feels lonely
I like to think of Advent as a beautiful season of anticipation, joy and expectation. And while it is those things, it can also be quite lonely. We might be waiting for things that others don’t understand or that they themselves haven’t had to wait for. I think about people who want to have a … Continue reading When the waiting feels lonely
When you don’t feel ready for Advent
The holiday season snuck up on me this year. And I don’t think I’m alone in that. I’ve heard from countless people how they forgot Thanksgiving was this week, how they can’t believe it’s almost December. Probably doesn’t help that (at least in North Carolina) we’re having seasonal whiplash, going from 80 degrees to below … Continue reading When you don’t feel ready for Advent
When “making the most” becomes unhealthy
“It goes so fast.” I can’t count the number of times someone has said this to me - or that I’ve said it to myself. And while it’s just one of those things people say to you when you’re a new parent, I’ve noticed it triggers something inside of me each time. Fear. Fear that … Continue reading When “making the most” becomes unhealthy
Seasons, part 2: the good and the hard
Living in the present isn’t easy. In part 1 of my two-part blog series on seasons, I talked about how nostalgia for the past and dreams of the future can become idols if we use them to escape our present. Another way we’re tempted to avoid the present is by writing off seasons as either … Continue reading Seasons, part 2: the good and the hard
Seasons, part 1: Protect the present
“This is such a unique season.” The number of times I’ve said this since having a baby is nauseating. And while it’s true, just acknowledging the “uniqueness” of any given season doesn’t stop me from missing previous ones or imagining future ones. While we were at the beach, I found myself missing how easy it … Continue reading Seasons, part 1: Protect the present
HJC 